The LaGrange Grangers were eager to get back on the court, and it showed.

After a break of more than two weeks, the Grangers built a 10-point lead at the half and they never looked back on the way to a 55-39 victory over McIntosh Friday night.

“We were chomping at the bit,” head coach Mike Pauley

said. “They guys were ready to get out there and play and that might have hurt us in the first half but they were able to slow it down a bit and get back to the type of play we’re known for.”

The Grangers led by six after the first quarter, and they extended that lead in the second period.

Heading into the second half, the Grangers wanted to make sure there was no letdown.

“We wanted to turn it up in the second half,” Kwame Brown said. “We came out in the first half and made a lot of turnovers and things like that so we just wanted to clean up our play and get things going.”

Led by Brown,who had eight points for the Grangers in the first minutes of the second half, the Grangers went on an 11-0 run to build a 40-21 lead with two minutes go go in the quarter.

Brown would have a monster half, collecting 12 of his team-leading 17 points in the final two quarters.

Justyn Olson added 10 points and Jake Pauley scored eight.

“I think the guys did a great job moving the ball tonight,” Pauley said. “We were attacking the rim and getting a lot of good looks at the basket.”

With the game fully in hand, the Grangers offense would roll into the fourth, where the Grangers opened up a 32 point lead with two minutes to go.

In getting their first win of the season, the Grangers will now turn around and play host to county rival Callaway today at 3 p.m at LaGrange.

“It feels good to be able to get on with the schedule,” Pauley said. “We haven’t played Callaway in three years at home, so it will be good to get a county rival and get them at home. It’s nice to get back rolling to get a groove going.”

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